came across to see the Monarchs last Friday and visit a few old friends in the course of making a podcast for the Solkatterna team with his friend Patrick Jarnstam Robert rode for the Monarchs in two spells through the late 90s and early 2000s and played an important role in our 1997 Cup triumph in our first season at Armadale Unfortunately of course there was no action for him to witness at Armadale though Robert did make it out to the stadium during the afternoon and completed a walk of the track Robert has remained active in speedway ever since he finished racing in the UK continuing to race in Sweden before moving into management He has been closely connected with both our current Swedes Victor Palovaara and Jonatan Grahn and Victor still rides for the team Robert manages at Solkatterna Robert and Patrick were intending to head down to Berwick to watch the Saturday night action there and we hope they will be able to come back before the end of the season Listen to podcast Last year we offered supporters the opportunity to purchase a team race jacket with their name printed on the back We were amazed at the response so we're going to do it again Read More Enter your old password and new password below to change your password It’s owned by the largest clan in Scotland and was once home to the Macdonalds of Sleat but now Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye is being sold Clan Donald Lands Trust said they have made the difficult decision to sell the 19th century castle castle and the 20,000-acre estate which covers much of the island’s southern Sleat peninsula which was built as an extension to a late-18th century mansion house was the scene of Jacobite heroine Flora Macdonald’s wedding in 1750 The castle began to fall into disrepair after the Macdonald family moved out in 1925 the Clan Donald Lands Trust said the sale of the ‘high-cost low-income’ castle as well as other assets was necessary for the charity to ‘stand on its own feet for the first time’ without the need for external funding The trust said it wanted to focus on giving grants to ‘Clan and indigenous Highland heritage projects.’ A statement from them said: ‘We have been open about the financial challenges facing our charity we have always been reliant on external grant funding to cover our operating costs ‘The availability of this funding has been reduced by the impact of ongoing investment market volatility ‘At the same time our core costs – including electricity insurance and essential building repairs – have massively increased.’ Bookings for the 2025 season at the castle and the museum will not be affected by the proposed sale thanking all those who continue to support it Estate agent Strutt and Parker is handling the sale Read more Home and Garden news here Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field IPSO is an independent body which deals with complaints from the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Berwick advanced to the 4th Round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup after a comfortable 2-0 win over Armadale Thistle at Shielfield Park Rayan Mohammed and Alfie Robinson scored their first goals in black and gold as Berwick made it back-to-back 2-0 wins at home The Gers looked to stamp their authority on the game early on Some good interplay on the edge of the box saw the ball fall to Jamie Watson His first-time shot flashed just wide of the post a terrific dummy by Ben McCrystal caught the Armadale defence flat-footed McCrystal picked out Matty Collins and his shot cannoned off the post and somehow rolled right along the line before Armadale’s goalkeeper Andrew Murphy could stop the ball rolling over who are currently top of the East of Scotland Second Division managed to get a hold of the ball after some early Berwick pressure the visitors would make a mess of it as the centre-backs of Callum Shanks and Jack Sayers struggled to deal with the press of Mohammed Sayers’ attempted pass was blocked by Mohammed and the ball looped over Murphy and bounced into the net to give Berwick the lead in unusual circumstances Mohammed bagging his first goal for the Gers on his second appearance The visitors created their first chance of the game through a corner Jayden Fairley’s inswinger caught Callum Antell out and the cross was met by Sayers at the back post who headed just over as he looked to redeem his error for the Berwick goal A few minutes later and Sayers got caught again as his untimely slip let Mohammed in on goal The newly-signed forward seemed to over-complicate the finish as his poked shot was somehow blocked by the retreating Shanks who prevented an almost certain second goal for the Dream Team Armadale’s threat was coming from set pieces as Ryan Robertson’s long throw into the box caused Berwick confusion as the ball fell to Ben Stewart at the back post who had more time than he thought as his rushed header went wide Just before half-time and the Gers managed to get their second goal McCrystal whipped his free-kick from 35 yards out to the back post where it was met by Robinson who nodded in to put Berwick into a comfortable position just before the break The goal was Robinson’s first for Berwick and a well-deserved one after a solid first half in defence to prevent any danger from the visitors Robinson nearly doubled his goalscoring tally not long into the second half as it was again McCrystal at the heart of the creative display His first-time cross was met by the head of Robinson but this time he saw his effort flash just over the bar The second half was a scrappy one to say the least with neither side able to trouble the goal something that would please Thomas Scobbie more with his side holding a two-goal lead The two-goal lead nearly became three on 80 minutes on a day for first-time goalscorers for the Dream Team AfterMohammed and Robinson’s first for the Gers Max McGinley nearly opened his account with a thunderous 30-yard strike that forced a save out of Murphy Cameron Scott made his debut for the Dream Team late on with Mani Ashraf also subbed on for the closing stages of the cup tie Berwick looked very comfortable as the clock ticked into stoppage time with McCrystal having a couple of late chances to score Scott’s long throw fell nicely for McCrystal who showed great agility to cut inside Moments later McCrystal’s effort from just outside the box was a tame one and was easy for Murphy to deal with The Dream Team saw out the win to advance to the 4th Round where they face an away trip to Crossgates Primrose who currently sit second bottom of the East of Scotland First Division Berwick return to action next Saturday as they play Cowdenbeath in the Lowland League at Shielfield Park Armadale Castle and the traditional estate of Clan Donald on the Isle of Skye are to be put up for sale which were bought by the trustees of the Clan Donald Lands Trust in 1971 will be sold to secure the ongoing work of the charity Financial pressure has now heaped on the group that operates the visitor attraction and lands has proved too costly for charity trustees and the estate will now be sold Marketing of the land is set to get under way on March 27 Tourists who already have tickets to the castle have been assured that bookings tickets or planned visits for the 2025 season will go ahead A statement from the Clan Donald Lands Trust said: “We write to let you know that the board of trustees of the Clan Donald Lands Trust has taken the difficult decision to sell its land and property assets “Marketing of the majority will commence on March 27 with Armadale to be marketed separately later this spring.” Once part of the traditional lands of Clan Donald and the former home of the Macdonalds of Sleat the lands came up for sale 54 years ago following the death of Alexander Godfrey Macdonald the 7th Lord Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald The Clan Donald Lands Trust charity was founded by Clan Donald community members across the world to promote and preserve the history and heritage of Clan Donald and the culture of the western seaboard of Scotland and the Hebrides The lands and castle will now be marketed by Strutt & Parker The statement continued: “We have been open about the financial challenges facing our charity “The availability of this funding has been reduced by the impact of ongoing investment market volatility insurance and essential building repairs – have massively increased.” Saying the trustees’ legal duty was to “manage the charity’s assets to deliver our charitable purposes,” they added that they need to be financially viable The statement said: “To safeguard the charity’s future we will reform our operations and focus on our core purpose of protecting and promoting the Clan and indigenous Highland heritage.” Trustees said the sale of its property assets will allow the charity to stand on its own feet for the first time no longer dependent on “unstable external grant funding” Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present is one of the first steps to improving the look of the town.  That was the message from the community at an open day organised by West Lothian Council this week.  Most sites remain in private ownership and while the largest has already been earmarked for redevelopment it is the lack of public knowledge about the others- including one on West Main Street- that irritates locals the most.  That was one of the key findings from the well-attended open day set up by council’s regeneration team   as part of their looking for ideas and feedback to help improve the town.  The event was one of the first set up as the council starts work on its Locality Plan which aims to work with community groups on practical ways to tackle poverty and encourage community wealth building.   the town’s Regeneration Officer told a meeting of the local area committee: “We have a high proportion of the population living near derelict sites They look at these sites and ask why nothing is happening with them.”    Councillor Lynda Kenna said: “The stats are very high Is there anything being done to address these derelict sites I know we were looking to see if some of these sites could be taken up for housing.”  Mrs Murray explained that the figures are skewed by the size of the former brickworks site in the south side of the town.  The percentage of the population of Armadale living within 500m of a derelict site is 77.1% this rises for those in Armadale South to 88.4%  There are plans to come to build housing on the brickworks site Mrs Murray added: “This one site is extremely large so if that site is developed the stats would drop significantly.”  Mrs Murray said that regeneration officers working on the development of the Locality Plan to help improve the town were engaging with site owners to see   what potential for development there is.  In the meantime the survey gives the community a chance to look at ways of improving the townscape.   She added: “The community doesn’t like these sites being left the way they are we can improve the sites that are there.”  One option being explored is community hoardings.  A project to erect decorative hoardings around some of these sites involving local youth groups and schools has been identified and cash allocated through the Covid Recovery monies to support this.    The Community Regeneration Officer is currently exploring the feasibility of this by organising a meeting with the Town Centre Manager relevant departments of the council and the local community council because the locations identified are privately owned there needs to be clarification before being able to move forward Sites being considered include a former garage in the centre of Blackridge.   The partnership community engagement took place on Monday in the Dale Hub This session was led by the Community Regeneration Officer with support from Play Works Armadale Public Health Scotland and Architecture and Design Scotland The day gave the community the chance to air concerns and ideas with services and allowed the services to directly provide information to the community It also gave the   groups taking part positive feedback on what the community would like to see improve in the town.  By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter  The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations The Edinburgh Reporter brings you news all about Edinburgh A very big crowd packed the terraces to welcome the new speedway season at Armadale Stadium last Friday as Stellar Monarchs took on Glasgow Tigers supporters were well warmed up by a classic Scottish derby clash which saw the scores see-saw back and forth throughout the evening Stellar Monarchs Co-Promoter John Campbell said "It was an evening well worthy of its title of the 'Biggest rivalry in British Speedway' with supporters of both sides turning out in force to back their teams It was wonderful to see and I thank everyone for coming along "Early season matches can be unpredictable and it was a good opportunity for our team to get underway in competitive action - there is little more competitive than a derby "There were plenty of signs to be optimistic about with the team for this season with five riders taking a heat win and Max James showing some good moments "I am confident that the team will continue to grow into the season and I am excited to see what we can do." The Scottish Cup second leg takes place this Friday at Peugeot Ashfield Stadium in Glasgow with the Monarchs looking to avenge the first leg 4 point defeat Oskar Polis will make his Monarchs debut and we are all looking forward to that Paco Castagna will be missing on international duty riding in the Italian Championship "We have caused some upsets in second legs in the past and that is the aim for Friday We are particularly excited to see Oskar take to track also "Unfortunately Paco will be missing as he is racing in the next round of the Italian Championship on Saturday Paco tried every possible way to ride for us on Friday and to make it back to Italy on time to sign on for Saturday's meeting but it has proven impossible "Our thanks goes to Drew Kemp who steps in to cover for Paco "I am certain Friday's match will be a great encounter and I encourage all Monarchs fans to head along the M8 to support the team at Ashfield." There will be more speedway action coming up in a Saturday special this week at Armadale Stadium as Stellar Monarchs Academy kick off their season against Middlesbrough Tigers from 7pm "With the Monarchs away on Friday it is great to continue to offer weekly speedway at Armadale Stadium this week as the Academy take centre stage on Saturday from 7pm "This level of racing is well worth watching and we look forward to seeing the team in action for the first time this season." Tickets for Saturday's match are available now: Book Tickets Full Result Details Subscribe for full access to West Coast Today or Register for 1 free article per week Subscribing gives you access all areas of the website unlimited articles and access to the digital editions of The Oban Times Argyllshire Advertiser and Lochaber Times including 18 years of archive editions You will also be helping to support local independent journalism and local jobs Subscribe Register   Login I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties and will only be used  to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen You are not permitted to copy, republish, reproduce any text, photos, graphics, sounds from this website without written permission from the editor@westcoasttoday.co.uk Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Melbourne straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Melbourne without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Melbourne May 2025 update: Can we give it up for good ol' Vic Churchill? This tiny 12-seat deli just stood out on the world stage to take out 18th place in the world's mightiest global steakhouse ranking. Get the full story here.  Read on for our original listing of Victor Churchill by Jade Solomon from February 2023 Victor Churchill has established itself as Melbourne's most bougie butcher With floors made of deep green Verde marble and fine copper arches the space pays homage to the owner's Croatian heritage and bears almost no resemblance to your local butcher shop.  Offering only the highest-quality cuts of meat Victor Churchill has sourced its products from suppliers including Stone Axe Fullblood Wagyu and premium grass-fed Black Angus beef by O’Connor in Gippsland you'll find a horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar at the back The bar seats 12 people in an intimate setting so customers and bar-goers alike can enjoy a glass of Champagne or a cocktail The head chef has curated an offering of luxe menu items including oysters and of course a premium selection of grilled and rotisserie meats such as the Rangers Valley Black Market Scotch Fillet (500g $155) or splurge on the Rangers Valley Black Market Bistecca (1kg Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us We use cookies to collect information about how you use the Police Scotland website We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve our services Drugs with a potential value of up to £125,000 have been recovered from a remote property on the Isle of Skye officers executed a search warrant at a property in Armadale A cannabis cultivation of around 150 plants was discovered inside Enquiries remain ongoing to trace those responsible Detective Constable Steven Turnbull said: “This is a significant recovery and is an example of our efforts to disrupt the trade in illegal drugs in Scotland "Drugs cause misery in our all communities "The public has an important role to play in helping Police Scotland target those responsible for the cultivation "Our enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are appealing for anyone with any information to contact us "This operation underlines our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country's Serious Organised Crime Strategy." Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 Police Scotland support those who wish to become police officers special constables or police staff by hosting various online and in-person recruitment events throughout the year supported victims and a thriving workforce Read about our 2030 vision and three-year plan Worried that your partner or the partner of someone you know might have an abusive past we'd appreciate your feedback on the service we provided Police Scotland has been working to make its websites more accessible - read our accessibility statement The new Thornlie-Cockburn Link will open on Monday marking the latest major milestone in METRONET's transformation of Perth Perth's first east-west cross line connection includes two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road as well as Perth Stadium stations - providing a direct route from the Mandurah Line to Optus Stadium for the first time The opening of the line will connect tens of thousands of people to Perth's world-class rail network for the first time and adds significant resilience to the broader network Commuters will have a 27-minute journey to Perth from Nicholson Road Station and a 31-minute journey from Ranford Road Station New and amended bus routes will support connections from surrounding suburbs to the new stations The Public Transport Authority (PTA) is currently considering community feedback on the proposed routes with final routes to be published in the lead up to the opening A total of 85,000 sleepers and 180,000 tonnes of gravel were used in the construction of the 35 km of new passenger rail and 22 km of new freight rail as part of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link The inner-section of the Armadale Line will reopen in conjunction with the Thornlie-Cockburn Link on June 9 This will include the five new elevated stations at Carlisle Six level crossings have been removed from the Victoria Park and Canning sections of the Armadale Line while the elevated rail will significantly improve pedestrian safety reduce traffic congestion and create Perth's first 7 km long linear park The remainder of the line will reopen when the new elevated Armadale Station and Byford Station reach completion in the next few months This will include the reopening of stations at Sherwood The formal reopening date for the outer section of the Armadale Line will be announced soon The staged reopening has been necessitated by revised construction timelines on the METRONET Byford Rail Extension Progress on the Byford Rail Extension reached an important milestone in recent weeks with the entire elevated rail structure completed while the majority of rail and overhead line equipment has been installed Rail replacement bus services will continue until the entire Armadale Line has reopened but these services will be amended from June 9 the majority of rail replacement bus services will conclude their journeys at Cannington Station where commuters will be able to connect to the train line The amended rail replacement bus services will be published in the lead up to the June 9 reopening Any passengers receiving free public transport due to the Armadale Line closure will continue to receive the concession until their regular train station reopens The $1.3 billion METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link and the $1.6 billion Victoria Park -Canning Level Crossing Removal Projects are jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments It was bitterly cold at Armadale for the opening of the Scottish Speedway season indeed the first match in the UK in 2025 at Championship level Everyone would be grateful that the match went smoothly and was completed in under 90 minutes It ended with a four point advantage to Glasgow going into the Ashfield leg next Friday It was a tight match with never more than four points between the teams both sides at various points holding the advantage In the end Tigers 9 heat wins to Monarchs 6 was the key factor more so than the advantage the home side had at reserve through Palovaara The Stellar Monarchs only had one new boy in the absence of Oskar Polis so all eyes were on Jonatan Grahn who had a steady debut He scored paid 6 with a race win and said “It’s a good start but I want more points and more race wins Once I get more laps I will get better and better “It was very cold but I felt my setup was good I know Ashfield is a bigger track and I think we can go there and do well next week.” Best heat of the night was heat 11 in which Hodder led the way for a couple of laps from Castagna with Harris trying to find a gap The three went into the third lap three abreast before the home captain forced to the front Scores were level after twelve heats but Howarth and Harris took a 5-1 from heat 13 as Sedgmen and Castagna could not rise to the occasion The writing was on the wall then though Kye Thomson’s race win and a 4-2 in heat 14 did half the deficit So Monarchs went in to the last heat needing a miracle 5-1 for the win Justin Sedgmen led the way as he had in the opener but this time Harris pulled off a great move to burst past for victory When they add a fit Boughen (he pulled out after two heats) who can’t wait to see Polis in action had no failures but will have to hope they can get more race wins in the weeks to come Stellar Edinburgh Monarchs (43): Justin Sedgmen 10+0 Monarchs confirmed this week that financial services transformation company continue as Title Partner for the 2025 season Stellar Omada enter their third season as Title Partner of both the Monarchs and Monarchs Academy sides cementing their tremendous backing of the Club said: “Supporting the Edinburgh Monarchs has been a great experience for us We’ve seen the team develop over the years from working with individual junior riders to backing the Monarchs Academy right up to the main team “The relationship we’ve built with the Monarchs Management and the riders has been really rewarding and we’re proud to follow their growth again this year Our involvement goes beyond just sponsorship it’s about contributing to a sport we care about and connecting with the local community.  “Good luck to everyone for the season ahead see you on Friday for the big derby!” “We have a wonderful relationship with Colin Frame and everyone at Stellar Omada and we are proud to continue as the Edinburgh Stellar Monarchs for the 2025 “It has been great to see the continued growth at Stellar and we know well the passion and enthusiasm that Colin brings to everything he does He is a passionate Monarchs fan and it is our pleasure to have Stellar on board.” “Stellar are committed to making a positive impact in the community which is evident in our continued partnership and we are delighted to represent Stellar both in the local area and across the country.” Police are hunting for culprits after drugs worth £125,000 were recovered from a remote property on the Isle of Skye Officers executed a search warrant at a property in a remote location in Armadale at about 12.30pm on Monday They recovered 150 cannabis plants inside the property No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the cultivation A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Around 12.30pm on Monday February 24 “A cannabis cultivation of around 150 plants was discovered inside “Inquiries remain ongoing to trace those responsible.” Detective Constable Steven Turnbull said: “This is a significant recovery and an example of our efforts to disrupt the trade in illegal drugs in Scotland “Drugs cause misery in all our communities “The public has an important role to play in helping Police Scotland target those responsible for the cultivation “Our inquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are appealing for anyone with any information to contact us.” Armadale is in the southern part of Skye, in the Sleat Peninsula It is best known as the location of Armadale Ferry Terminal where the CalMac ferry operates between Armadale and Mallaig on the mainland Sign up here for local news straight to your inbox and join in the conversation on Facebook.  But don't worry you can either click on one of  the links below  or click here to find articles using  our search engine Frasers Property Industrial has today announced our first capital partnership in Australia with an investment vehicle sponsored by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (“MSREI”).  Jess Freeman • 05/05/2025 A prominent hotel development site in the heart of Randwick is set to hit the market offering a rare opportunity to capitalise on a DA-approved project in one of Sydney’s most tightly held Eastern Suburbs pockets Victoria’s dairy regions are facing growing challenges in accessing housing affecting workforce attraction and retention and threatening the long-term sustainability of the state’s $3 billion dairy industry Jess Freeman • 28/04/2025 Since the Armadale Line was shut down for its much-needed upgrade in November 2023 locals have been sceptical of the Transport Minister’s ‘100 per cent’ certainty that works would be finished and trains would be running again at the end of the stated 18-month schedule With only two months left until that original deadline expires and just three weeks after Labor convincingly won a third term in government Minister Rita Saffioti has vindicated the doubters The first east-west connection in Perth’s rail network the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will officially open on June 9 As will the “inner stations” of the Armadale line (up to Beckenham which is the connection point for the Cockburn-Thornlie and Armadale Lines) But the remainder of the line – from Kenwick to Byford – will now reopen “a few months later” according to Ms Saffioti “There were some construction issues and we were anticipating to claw back that timeframe but unfortunately “I think one or two of the piers had to be replaced or some beams had to be replaced and that work’s now finished … we’re now on the home stretch “To the regular train commuters on the outer section of the Armadale Line who will need to wait a few more months – we apologise for this inconvenience “Rest assured the team are working incredibly hard to get the line fully reopened as soon as possible “Rail replacement bus services will remain in place until the entire line reopens and I can also confirm that anyone receiving free public transport during the shutdown will continue to receive that concession until their regular train station between either Kenwick of Armadale reopens “Thanks to everyone for their patience – the new stations are looking incredible and I can’t wait for people to see them firsthand.” While the minister’s admission confirmed what many had known for a while after noticing that very little headway had been made on the new Armadale Station the Examiner got confirmation from Metronet that the project had experienced difficulties “During routine inspections on the Armadale Station viaduct a slight misalignment with the elastomeric bearing pad that sits on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam was identified.” a spokesperson for Metronet said in December requiring some bearings to be replaced has been implemented and work is continuing on the Byford Rail Extension project.” After the somewhat mismatched justification for the delay Minister Saffioti gave at Sunday’s press conference The Examiner again asked Metronet to confirm whether larger structural issues had been discovered during the project the Byford Rail Extension has encountered construction challenges which specifically related to the elastomeric bearing pads that sit on the headstock at the underside of the viaduct beam,” the spokesperson said “Construction teams have been working hard in recent months to make up lost time due to this construction issue but unfortunately a staged reopening was required.” “The Byford Rail Extension has made good progress in recent months with the entire elevated rail structure now complete while the majority of the rail and overhead line equipment installed.” It is comforting to know that the problem was relatively minor But it is curious that simply replacing these bearings has caused a “few months” of delays to the entire project especially with construction teams putting their noses to the grindstone to make up for lost time And very few are buying the fact that Metronet and Ms Saffioti did not know there’d be a delay before the March 8 election there’s also a large bone of contention that the track isn’t being opened up to Gosnells “Why not run the trains to Gossy when there is a scissor crossing for trains to change tracks after Gosnells,” Clinton asked but I just don’t understand why the Maddington and Gosnells stations can’t be opened They literally only had their crossings replaced and rail changes The City of Gosnells communities are already feeling neglected after they were missed off the list for level crossing removals during this ‘whole-of-line’ upgrade That sentiment is likely to fester without justification for keeping Kenwick Maddington and Gosnells trainless for another few months A community event to celebrate the opening of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link will be held on Sunday Further details about the community event will be provided closer to opening The government has said that the formal reopening date for the outer section of the Armadale Line will be announced soon and a community event to celebrate the full reopening of the Armadale Line will be held later this year Get your Local Examiner Digital Edition straight to your InboxName*Email* Are You a Human Home   News   Article Brookfield Renewable have not lost interest in going ahead with a wind farm in the north Sutherland village of Armadale The Canadian-based green energy corporation earlier this month dropped its bid to win planning consent to build nine turbines there But it has told the local protest group that it is now taking stock “to consider how a development at the site can best serve the community.” Brookfield initially proposed a 23 turbine development which it subsequently downsized Its latest scheme attracted more than 100 objections from locals North Sutherland and Caithness at 'tipping point' with onshore wind turbines Developer claims changes address local concerns The 150-metre high turbines were earmarked to go up on hill land and common grazings overlooking Armadale The issue was set to be settled by a public local inquiry until Brookfield announced it was throwing in the towel The company spelled out its reason for withdrawing its planning application in an email to Armadale Windfarm Action Group Brookfield spokesperson Jason McColl said: "Whilst we are disappointed by the position taken by the council we are respectful of the decision and believe that withdrawal of the application is necessary in order for us to fully reflect on feedback received during the planning process." But he continued: "We stand firm in our belief that a sustainable development in this location can deliver significant benefits to the community of Armadale and grow the local economy in Sutherland "We will take time to consider how a development at the site can best serve the community as well as wider ambitions to address the climate Police confirmed a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged after the incident on the A89 last August. Police confirmed a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged after the incident on the A89 between Armadale and Blackridge at around 9.15pm on Friday, August 11, 2023. Natalie Hawkins, 35, the rider of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene. The man is due to appear in court at a later date. STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" An artist's impression of the new Armadale train station The Western Australian Government has announced a delay to the reopening of a large section of the Armadale train line in Perth’s south-east Upgrades and extension work has since been underway as part of the government’s Metronet project Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has said only the inner section of the line will open on June 9 including the elevated stations at Carlisle She told ABC that there were “construction issues” and the government had hoped to make up the time lost The rest of the Armadale Line will reopen “a few months later” when the elevated Armadale and Byford Stations are finished Saffoti said it will be a “complete game changer” for the public transport network “We’re going to connect tens of thousands of people to our world class rail network for the first time and deliver a major boost to the capacity and resilience of our network,” she said Commuters affected by the delayed reopening will continue to receive free public transport on replacement bus services Perth’s long-awaited first east-west connection The Mandurah and Armadale Lines will be linked for the first time providing direct access to Optus Stadium from the Mandurah Line The $1.3 billion project will also provide two new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road Cockburn Central and Perth Stadium stations As Melbourne braces for a population of 9 million by 2050 global leader in smart sustainable mobility solutions has delivered on-time and to budget its Traffic Management System we’re homing in on two major topics: Tunnels and Cybersecurity All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media Anti-wind farm campaigners are celebrating after the scrapping of plans to develop a nine-turbine scheme on the north Sutherland coast Armadale Windfarm Action Group (AWAG) hailed the move as “a victory for local democracy” its members are anxiously awaiting to learn if it marks the end of Brookfield Renewable’s interest in the small crofting township The 150-metre high turbines were earmarked to go up on a tract of hill land and common grazings overlooking Armadale Opponents claimed the development would have 'overwhelmed' the village and blighted the section of the A836 The planning application attracted more than 100 objections from locals North area planning officer Dafydd Jones believes the turbines would have a “startling” impact on the landscape and the 10 kilometre stretch of the NC500 Strathy and Portskerra Special Landscape Area NatureScot objected about the perceived loss of acid grassland and heath • Call for councillors to object to Armadale wind farm plan • North Sutherland and Caithness at 'tipping point' with onshore wind turbines • Armadale wind farm: Developer claims changes address local concerns as updated plans submitted Highland Council's objection came too late to trigger a public local inquiry but the hearing was set to take place on the back of the opposition from NatureScot That will not now happen after Highland Council earlier this week received confirmation that Brookfield has withdrawn its application AWAG spokesperson Detta Velvis said: “It’s great news that the scheme has been withdrawn “We see it as a victory for local democracy given that so many local people opposed it together with four local community councils and Highland Council “But we remain cautious that it might not be the end of the story as we wonder if they will come back with yet another application.” Ms Velvis said that since Brookfield first took an interest in Armadale in 2017 its initial plans to build 23 turbines were first downsized to 12 and subsequently to nine “At the moment we’re very happy but at the same time we are trying to find out if they are going to come back with yet another scheme.” added: “We are hoping Armadale can be the start of the tide turning against wind farm developments in this part of the world “We're already at saturation point and hopefully this can draw a line in the sand and stop the invasion of more wind farms coming here.” Brookfield had offered financial incentives to shareholder crofters to support its scheme as well as offering a community benefit fund worth up to £215,000 a year The company has not yet responded to a request to clarify whether Armadale remains a potential development site Councillor Borrowman died at the age of 71 on Friday He had served as a councillor for Blackridge he later  became an Independent.  Councillors remembered Mr Borrowman as a friend and mentor.  At the meeting of the council’s Executive  on Tuesday  fellow ward member and  now fellow independent councillor Andrew McGuire,  paid warm tribute and thanks to Mr Borrowman for his  guidance and encouragement when he was first elected in 2017.  Councillor McGuire said: “I’ve had the privilege  to be Stuart’s ward partner for seven years That was always enjoyable but not always easy given Stuart’s intellect and fierce pride in the wards he represented.   a fantastic character in the devotion he gave to many causes in our ward particularly Armadale Thistle and the gala days.   “I don’t think there’s a single person in our ward that Stuart hasn’t helped at some point throughout his 21 years in local government.  “I’m forever grateful and thankful to him for when I was first elected to the council as an enthusiastic 26 year old for him taking me under his wing and helping me to acclimatise  to the rigours of elected office.”  Linlithgow Lib Dem councillor Sally Pattle said: “I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Stuart’s family and friends Everything he did as a councillor was for the best interest of his constituents.  “I feel so lucky to have known Stuart for two years He wasn’t afraid to ask  difficult questions He always stood up for what he believed would serve his community best.”  “We worked together on several motions  and ideas He was one of the brightest and funniest people I have ever met I learnt from him the type of councillor I aspire to be.”    Tributes and condolences were also paid by Conservative group leader Damian Doran-Timson and by SNP group leader Councillor Janet Campbell.   The Depute Provost Peter Heggie also paid tribute to Councillor Borrowman at the opening of the Education Quality Assurance Committee on Tuesday afternoon Councillor Borrowman was a past chair of that committee in the last council.    In the current council Councillor Borrowman  chaired  the Development Management Committee which sat last earlier this month.  place-based support to the most vulnerable members of our Western Australian community We work towards this goal through a range of functions and service delivery responsibilities all of which are more impactful and effective when we work in partnership with families community sector services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) we are privileged to provide services and partner with others to keep children safe; deliver social and public housing; provide vital community services including in emergencies; address homelessness; prevent family and domestic violence; provide stewardship for the disability sector; regulate the early childhood and care sector; and manage the agenda for women’s interests We are on a continuous journey to improve the way we work with our communities and partners across Western Australia Everything we do is about creating ‘better lives together through people place and home’ and working together to provide responsive services that build safe As a purpose-led organisation our outcomes focus on long-term success and realisation of our vision Our outcomes define the changes that will occur as a result of the supports we provide Our outcomes are defined in our Strategic Direction Statement 2022-25 View our Strategic Direction Statement The Freedom of Information Act 1992 gives the public a right to access information held by the Department of Communities. Learn more on how to lodge an application Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead If the kids are going a little stir-crazy these school holidays, sometimes you just need a change of scenery. A drive into the Perth Hills Armadale region is the perfect destination for a day trip with the family with a gorgeous explosion of wildflowers in the spring and plenty of family-friendly activities on offer: For a taste of the Scottish Highlands right here in Perth, you can’t miss the Armadale Highland Gathering and the Perth Kilt Run it’s a glorious day out for the whole fam where you’ll enjoy live performances market stalls and the immersive fun of the medieval fair…  You can even try to lift the 9-161kg Armadale Atlas Stones there’ll be a meet and greet with some Scottish dogs Is there a more wholesome day out than a day at the show? We think not. The Kelmscott Agricultural Show takes place October 14-15 and it’s jam-packed with fun for the whole family There’s an array of interactive and competitive animal exhibits local arts and craft stalls and the spectacular City of Armadale Fireworks put your skills to the test with a visit to a carnival classic sideshow alley The SJ Food And Farm Fest is the newest agricultural show on the Serpentine Jarrahdale events calendar, and it’s shaping up to be a huge day of farmers markets, workshops, animal competitions, food stalls and fun for the kids with youth zones and loads more. It’s happening on Saturday 5 November, and you can head to the Food and Farm Fest Website to find out more and grab your tickets now It’s no secret we’re big fans of the Perth Observatory any day of the week, but on Sundays you can go for a beautiful drive through the Bickley Valley before jumping on a special guided day tour of it. Sunday tours kick off at 1.30pm and run every half-hour until 3pm, or you could get a little spooky and head out there for a special Halloween Night Sky Tour the state-of-the-art John Dunn Challenge Park is a must-visit for BMX and mountain biking enthusiasts With both kinds of bike riding only getting more popular this is a fantastic track for all riders from beginners up to advanced and a perfect gateway to entering the more-serious trails found around the Perth Hills The Bedfordale Bush Markets are held on the fourth Saturday of each month and the upcoming edition just so happens to be a special Halloween Edition It’s the perfect chance for the kids (and you) to get dressed up before exploring the homegrown produce To find out more about exploring the Hills this spring, head to the Perth Hills Armadale Website This article is sponsored by the City Of Armadale and happily endorsed by us A significant piece of local forestry history in Mount Nasura has been marked for felling on the edge of the Armadale Hospital grounds lies a dilapidated old cottage whose decaying appearance belies its importance The single-storey timber weatherboard was built in 1933 for the then District Forest Officer or Bluey as he was sometimes referred to owing to his ginger mane was initially responsible for the northern Jarrah forests from his station in Jarrahdale “His drive and sense of vision enabled him to achieve a great deal in forestry development in Western Australia breaking through considerable obstacles on the way.” Among his earliest achievements was developing the use of low-intensity prescribed burns to protect regrowth Jarrah forests from summer bushfires Mr Harris became the state’s Conservator of Forests from 1954 to 1969 And in the face of considerable criticism from some foresters in 1954 Mr Harris was able to reverse the thirty-year state fire exclusion policy from WA forests replacing it with 10 percent annual broad-based And the findings of the Royal Commission into the disastrous Dwellingup fires in 1961 vindicated his policies Mr Harris redoubled the department’s efforts in research And he was the driving force behind the groundbreaking use of aerial ignition for prescribed burns – a method that would go on to be adopted worldwide renowned for out-manoeuvring political or professional adversaries” And he took his role as ‘steward’ of the forests incredibly seriously elevating the importance of conservation before it became fashionable he was a fierce fighter against the scourge of deforestation; he was a staunch roadblock to the encroachment of farming into forested land and was instrumental in securing the State Forest estate the CSIRO established a regional research and field station on the lot beside Mr Harris’s house By 1975 this became a designated research laboratory and the Division of Forest Research successfully determined the aetiology of the fungus causing Jarrah dieback and ways to prevent its spread The Ecko Rd campus was used by the state government for forestry purposes until 1999 the land was sold to the Department of Health Mr Harris’ forestry cottage was heritage listed by the City of Armadale the Heritage Council deemed it not significant enough to have a place on the State Register The hospital originally used the house for staff accommodation but it has sat vacant for more than a decade the surrounding buildings pulled down one by one Despite numerous attempts by the City of Armadale to encourage the maintenance of the forestry cottage the state government sought permission to demolish the cottage to make way for a future expansion of the hospital A Heritage Impact Statement attached to the demolition proposal noted the building was “beyond reasonable recovery” with “serious deterioration of the corrugated iron roof ceilings and timber flooring through weathering it was deemed the forestry cottage stood alone as merely “a fragment of this [forestry] story and in its deteriorated form no longer represents the value meaningfully” Local historians expressed their frustration over the wanton neglect of an important local landmark which had the misfortune of existing on prized land “It is disappointing to see another example of demolition by neglect with no maintenance being carried out for well over 30 years,” the Community Heritage Advisory Group said Despite objections by the City of Armadale the Statutory Planning Committee has greenlighted the demolition of the cottage A few minor concessions were made to record the site’s historical significance and an archival photographic documentation of the building An Armadale Health Services spokesperson said the date of the demolition has not yet been locked in “A demolition permit has been submitted to the Permit Authority The Examiner also asked whether there were any impending plans to build on the site in line with the future expansion of the hospital the land will be planted as parkland-cleared landscape This is planned to be completed following the demolition of the building,” the AHS spokesperson said Australia Day will hit a little different this year for those used to lighting up the night in Armadale Last year the City of Armadale made the decision to can its beloved festival and fireworks display for 2025 because of the continuation of the Byford Rail Extension construction The city said the scale of work planned on the rail line during January meant Minnawarra Park would be out of action Armadale’s Australia Day event has been a fixture since 1993 It is the largest and most popular annual event on the city’s calendar and is one of the few remaining council-run major events on Australia Day A range of alternative locations was brought to a committee meeting and then a full council meeting in June Top of the list was Champion Lakes – a venue that hosted last year’s Highland Gathering and Perth Kilt Run During deliberations about the relocation of the city’s beloved Scottish festival it was pointed out that the lake would pose a huge risk council agreed those risks could be overcome through signage and having organisations like Surf Life Saving WA present And the event was largely deemed a success; visitors respected the ‘no-swimming’ rule at the Highland Gathering and an insufficient shuttle bus service did cause headaches mitigating the risks of 7000m of water edge at an Australia Day festival at Champion Lakes during the height of Summer was a bridge too far for councillors which is fully fenced for the Australia Day event the Champion Lakes water body is too large to be fully fenced hence there will be access to the water,” shire officers warned City officers’ biggest fear was a child drowning on their watch “The associated and reputational risk of having such an occurrence connected to a major annual event may have long-lasting impacts on the event A compromise was offered which split the city’s celebrations into three smaller Australia Day events “Council felt the city would be unable to safely recreate the same scale and experience at alternative sites Maintaining the integrity of the event is paramount and the city looks forward to hosting our usual event in January 2026,” their statement read “Council voiced the potential for reserving the 2025 funds so they can be put towards hosting a bigger and better event to welcome people back to the city centre in 2026.” The City of Armadale will be holding their usual citizenship ceremony where the 2025 Citizens of the Year will be announced They’re also organising a ‘live’ replay of the 2024 concert on their social media site Many have been understanding of the city’s difficult decision to cancel this year’s festival and fireworks But Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale President Rob Coales was quick to capitalise on the disappointment of those who were keen to celebrate this year’s Australia Day in person “Rising Sun Tribute to Cold Chisel and Jimmy Barnes are playing at Briggs Park (Mead Street The Angela Rules Duo (from Logie-nominated show Family Rules) and Jessie James will also feature as special guests And there’ll be a range of food trucks offering tasty treats The shire repurposed $25,000 in funds from their proposed February music events to bolster the offerings at their Australia Day festivities the City of Armadale is already drumming up hype for a “bigger Armadale Police are investigating a stealing and trespass incident on Mirfield Street a man was seen acting suspiciously outside a residential address and removed a black eScooter from the front porch Police believe the man approached several other properties in the area around the same time The man is described as aged between 30 to 40-years-old was shirtless and wore dark trousers and blue trainers with white soles Police urge anyone who may have any information relating to this incident, or knows the identity of the person involved, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online via https://www.crimestopperswa.com.au Two Kelmscott locals have been charged after a home invasion and battery on Clarence Road on Monday night a 31-year-old man and 32-year-old woman entered a home on Clarence Road a fight then broke out between the two and an 18-year-old man The argument escalated with the man and woman allegedly assaulting the 18-year-old victim who was taken to hospital for medical treatment Armadale Detectives have charged the 31-year-old Kelmscott man with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; One count of Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm; and two counts of Impeded Another Person’s Normal Breathing or Blood Circulation by Applying Pressure to Neck He was due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on Tuesday The 32-year-old Kelmscott woman is due to appear before the Armadale Magistrates Court on 15 May 2025 charged with: one count of Aggravated Home Burglary and Commit; and one count of Common Assault